The door slammed shut, and Rarity found herself in the one situation she avoided even more than getting dirty.
She was alone in a room with a foal.
The unicorn glared down at the grumpy filly sitting before her. She was a small thing, with an olive yellow coat and amber mane. On her flanks was a cutie mark of carrots, which undoubtedly meant she was a gardener. Her curly mane might have been pretty, if it weren’t all tangled and dirty. For the life of her, Rarity couldn’t understand why any self-respecting filly would put up with such a messy mane. She was set to not like her companion for the coming weeks, and the filly seemed to be thinking the same thing about her.
But they were stuck together. No point trying to ignore one another. “So,” a regal Rarity began, “you are the one they call ‘Carrot Top.’” She cringed; even the filly’s name sounded rustic.
“Don’t call me that,” Carrot snapped grouchily. “I hate that nickname!”
Well, at least she had some sense. “Then what’s your real name?”
The filly glowered, as if expecting some sort of trick or mockery, but finally answered with a huff. “Golden Harvest.”
“Oh my…” Rarity was astounded. “I really like that. Such delightful imagery, such class! Why does anyone bother to call you…Carrot?”
Golden sucked in a deep breath and pulled her mane straight with both front hooves. She displayed it to her foalsitter with averted eyes. “Why do you think?”
Rarity took a delicate step back from the dirty mane even as she acknowledged to herself that the question had indeed been rather foolish. “Well, I can assure you I won’t be referring to you as a vegetable. Golden Harvest is so much more proper.”
That made the filly’s eyes light up. “You really think so?”
The unicorn leaned back warily at the shine in Golden’s eyes; excited foals never boded well for her. “Err… Yes?”
“You have no idea how glad I am to hear that,” Golden exclaimed. She cast a dark glance at the door. “My parents and the other foals think ‘Carrot’ is a cute name. I don’t wanna be cute.”
"I'm sure,” the young unicorn grumbled, turning away in hopes of avoiding any more things they might have in common. “If you absolutely must be here, we need to set some ground rules. After all, I am the foalsitter.”
Golden wasn’t impressed. “Oh come on, you’re just three years older than me! I don’t know why Mom and Dad think I need a foalsitter. I’m thirteen, not three!”
“Don’t get all huffy with me,” Rarity snapped, already tired of the filly’s whining. “This wasn’t my idea, and I’m not very happy with it myself.”
“Well there’s something else we have in common,” Golden declared, following her foalsitter.
Rarity turned to block the filly’s path, though she was careful to keep a few steps back. “The first thing we need to do is give you a bath! I won’t have you dirtying up my home with all that filth on you. I’d swear you’d spent the entire morning at work on a farm.”
Golden glowered. “I did.”
“Well, that explains the dreadful attire,” the unicorn noted snobbishly. She dared to examine the pony’s saddle more closely, though doing so made her eyes ache. It was a soft pink color with a thin, short white skirt underneath. As if in a vain attempt to improve the look, there was a longer yellow skirt attached at the back with pink daisies at the bottom. A terrifying splash of colors with no sense of blending or theme.
The filly winced and glanced back at her saddle self-consciously. “You don’t like it?”
“Like it?” Rarity cried as if she’d just heard a blasphemy. “That…thing is a crime against fashion. My eyes are burning at the sight of it!”
Golden’s head drooped and she pouted, clearly distraught. “Oh… I didn’t know…”
“Well there’s nothing for it now but to get you cleaned up. Come on, the washroom’s this way.” She stood by impatiently as the filly trudged her miserable way into the hall.
Rarity allowed Golden to bathe herself – she was thirteen, after all – and devoted her attention to her latest fashion creation. It was hard to concentrate, though. She still couldn’t believe her parents had forced her into this! Foalsitting. Of all the tasks she could have possibly been assigned, it had to be foalsitting!
She fumed, remembering how they’d offered her a choice. Hmmph, some choice. ‘Foalsit or come with us to see your cousins in Las Pegasus with Carrot’s parents.’ That was not a choice, it was a setup! She’d only just opened the Carousel Boutique a month ago, and if her business was going to get off the ground she couldn’t spend two weeks in Las Pegasus. They knew that! Yes, she acknowledged that not visiting relatives in years was bad, but she had responsibilities.
Not to mention a sizeable loan to pay off.
So she was foalsitting while Golden’s parents and her own went off to Las Pegasus, one pair for vacation and the other for family. Two weeks looking after that grungy thing was most certainly going to drive her insane. It might even ruin her fashion sense! But at least they were taking Sweetie Belle with them; foalsitting one pony was bad enough as it was.
Golden came trudging into the aspiring fashionista’s workroom, coat and mane cleaned of all dirt. Her still-damp mane hung over her face in long strings, shielding her eyes from sight as she kept her head low. Rarity took one look at her and couldn’t help rolling her eyes; she looked like a drowned cat.
“Okay, I’m clean.” Golden sat on the hard floor, her damp tail making a moist ‘flap’ sound as it dropped with her. Her eyes were still hidden, but Rarity suspected they were aimed unpleasantly in her direction. “I suppose you want me to go again?”
“Don’t be such a drama queen,” the unicorn countered with self-assured pomp. “Oh, but look at your mane!”
“What about it?” Golden asked with only a half-interest.
Rarity walked over to the filly and lifted some of her hair with a hoof, examining it with classy disdain. “It’s so tangled! And it can’t be comfortable having it dangling all over like that. Haven’t you ever put your hair up in a towel?”
Golden’s green eyes stared up at her as if she were speaking in complex rhyme beyond comprehension. “Umm…no. Why?”
But Rarity was already moving on, gesturing for the filly to follow her upstairs. “I simply can’t allow your mane and tail to stay so knotted! If I must foalsit you, I will at least show you how to look your best.”
Golden jumped to her hooves, shoving amber hair from her eyes to gape eagerly after the young mare. “Really?”
The unicorn rolled her eyes, not recognizing the filly’s excitement. “Yes, really. Now come along, I haven’t all day.”
Rarity’s room was of a nice comfortable size by her own standards. Yes, she might have gone bigger if she could have afforded a larger loan – and, truth be told, she still wasn’t certain she could afford the loan she’d acquired – but this was perfectly suitable for her needs. Its round form was more appealing than the usual clunky walls of other homes, and allowed plenty of space for all her essentials. Especially those which other, lesser ponies didn’t consider so ‘essential.’
The unicorn made her way to the vanity and scanned her brushes for the one she knew had the strongest bristles. Once she had it, she turned and glowered; Golden was standing dumbly at the door, her eyes roaming the bedroom with annoyingly childish curiosity. “Golden, over here please.”
The filly seemed to come out of a trance. She entered the room timidly, almost as if she were afraid of touching anything. “Your room’s so…big.”
“This is nothing,” Rarity replied impatiently, gesturing to the chair at her side. “Let’s get that mane fixed.”
Golden climbed onto the fashionable seat slowly, like it were made of straw and she thought it might break. She gazed up at the tall mirror with wide eyes, then turned her attention to the brushes, eyeliners, makeup containers, and so many similar things atop the vanity. Rarity didn’t understand why she was acting so astonished; had she never seen a vanity before? She huffed and began to brush the filly’s mane, struggling to get rid of the knots.
For several long minutes they remained there, the aspiring fashionista struggling to tame a mane that clearly hadn’t seen a brush in ages, if ever. Golden took the tugging and pulling patiently, only uttering an occasional grunt or sharp breath when the unicorn was forced to jerk on a knot. It seemed to take an eternity, but as the time passed Rarity slowly came to not mind the tedious work. The filly could have a nice mane, if she’d only take better care of it. She was slowly beginning to see this as less a chore and more of an opportunity to handle a color she wasn’t accustomed to.
At last, after nearly an hour, the mane’s knots were gone. Her brush was filled with so much orange hair Rarity wondered if she shouldn't throw it away. It was worth it, though; Golden’s curly mane was one step closer to being proper and beautiful. But that part would have to wait; Rarity had lost too much time to this little project and needed to get back to her designs.
“Now then, that should do for the moment,” the she declared royally. “Your tail will have to wait; I simply cannot put my brush through any more of that kind of punishment today. Now I-” Her words stopped as she focused on the filly’s face in the mirror for the first time. She was dumbstruck, for Golden was crying. It wasn’t the loud, annoying tears of a whiny child, but she was crying all the same, and Rarity was at a loss as to why. "Golden? What’s the matter?”
The filly’s eyes looked up at her through the mirror, happy eyes that were oh-so grateful. Her lip trembled as she carefully touched her mane with a hoof, almost as though she didn’t know what it was. “I’ve never seen my hair so…pretty.”
Rarity was so startled she dropped her brush. The filly thought that was pretty? It needed to be treated for softness and shine, given a proper cut, styled! It wasn’t anything yet but…well, hair. Yet this made her cry? The unicorn dropped to her haunches, coming to realize just what she was dealing with. “Have you never had your hair properly brushed?” Golden shook her head, hooves still rubbing her mane as if it were the softest thing she’d ever felt. “But surely your mother brushed your mane at some point?”
Golden blushed and looked down timidly. “She thinks beautification is a waste of time.”
Rarity sucked in a sharp breath, impressed the filly knew a word like ‘beautification’ but offended at the slanderous statement indirectly regarding her very existence.
In her moment of stunned silence, Golden glanced at her once more, her expression fearful. “I want to… I mean…if it’s okay…”
“Y-yes…?” Rarity was still trying to keep from launching into a tirade.
“If I really tried,” the filly whispered hopefully, “do you think by the time my parents came back I’d look as pretty as you?”
All anger vanished in an instant, like darkness retreating before the sun. Rarity looked at Golden through the mirror, the filly’s face partially hidden by the light of a window. Those green eyes were watching her. Was that…desperation? In those eyes Rarity could see a filly wanting to do something new, something like she’d never done before. But it wasn’t just curiosity that was driving her to ask that question, was it?
Not certain if it was a good idea, Rarity knelt down beside the chair so her eyes were level with the filly’s. “Every girl deserves a chance to be pretty,” she announced pleasantly. “I promise, When I’m done with you you’ll glow like the sun.”
Golden turned and embraced her neck in a tight hug…which made Rarity freeze in shock. Her immediate instinct was to shove the filly away, but she resisted that urge. She had taken the first step, hadn’t she? Still, this position was entirely uncomfortable, and she dearly hoped the child wouldn’t hold on for long.
“I hate being a farmer,” Golden muttered in her ear. “I almost broke into tears when I earned my cutie mark.”
Oh no. Rarity had agreed to help the pony be pretty, not listen to her life story! Yet, despite her hesitation and eager hopes to get out of the hug, she didn’t try to stop the filly. What kind of lady would she be if she behaved in such a manner?
Golden sniffed feebly and held on. “When I heard you were gonna take care of me, I put on my best saddle. I thought…perhaps…”
Now the unicorn had to say something. She pushed the filly back down onto the chair so she could properly show her alarm. “That was your best? Are you serious?”
The child nodded miserably, wiping the tears from her cheeks. “It’s stupid, I know, but I wanted you to see…maybe help me.”
Rarity took a cautious step back, not sure what the word ‘help’ might imply. Golden noticed. She sighed and looked away in disappointment. “Just once I’d like to look like a princess.”
“A princess?” The mare eyed Golden worriedly. “With the wings and the horn and all that?”
“No, not an alicorn,” Golden replied wearily, turning back to the mirror. She stared at herself, as though she were trying to imagine something different in the glass. After a few unhappy seconds she dropped her chin to the vanity’s desktop and let out a ‘hmmph’ sound. “Forget it, it’s stupid.”
In that moment, Rarity understood. She didn’t just understand, she sympathized. She eyed the poor filly’s cutie mark of carrots and – Celestia help her – actually felt pity for the child. But then again, Golden was thirteen. She was just hitting that transfer stage between child and teen, that oh-so tender period of life where adulthood seemed so close and the mind was still trying to shake off the foolish interests of the foal. Rarity remembered being there. In many ways, she was only just escaping it.
But just as clear was the understanding that Golden wasn’t like the foals Rarity had come to avoid. She was more mature, more calm. That alone was enough to tell the unicorn that there was something worthwhile in this one.
And above all else… “It’s not as dumb as you think,” she whispered, raising a hoof to run it tenderly through Golden’s mane. “I want the same thing. To rise up the ranks and shine like a precious diamond for all to see. To be rich and part of the Canterlot elite, to rub shoulders with the most esteemed of ponies. Tea with Celestia, can you imagine it?”
She leaned down and hugged the filly, all misgivings gone as she indulged in her vision. “And a handsome, charming prince to treat me like the lady I am! Can’t you just see it, me as a princess?”
Golden smiled at the vision, happy to take part in the brief fantasy, but then her smile faded. “At least you look the part. I’m just a weed.”
Rarity chuckled at the filly’s phrase. She stood up properly, blushing just a little at her momentary gushing, and patted Golden’s mane so that her curls bounced playfully. “Maybe you are, but you’re well on your way to becoming a flower. I am going to make you shine! When your parents come home, I guarantee they won’t even recognize you anymore.”
And she kept her word. By the end of the two weeks Golden’s mane and tail were both luscious and soft to the touch. Her coat glistened in the sun, her face was clean and pristine. Rarity even took her to the spa for a delightful hooficure and all the best treatments imaginable. Her old saddle, the disappointing ‘best’ in her collection, had been completely redesigned and formed into a dress fit for the Grand Galloping Gala! For once she was able to be more than just a carrot farmer, and it was the happiest time in her life. She felt and looked like a veritable princess. On the last day Rarity gave her the most precious gift she’d ever attained: a silver necklace with an amber inlay shaped like her carrot cutie mark.
Her parents didn’t seem to care at all. They came home, whisked her back to the farm and had it all undone within a matter of days. Back to carrots, back to being a weed. Her dress saddle was put away, not to be seen again in years and by then too small for her to wear. Her coat was always dirty, her hooves hardened once more by the toil and work. After a while she even came to accept who she was and enjoy the farmer’s life.
But she remembered those two weeks. She treasured them. Every night, no matter how tangled and dirty her mane and tail became, she brushed them back into place. She remembered Rarity’s advice and only washed her hair every two or three days to keep it healthy, using what little extra money she’d earned to buy the perfect products. If she could preserve nothing else, she would preserve her mane, her one small act of defiance against fate.
She kept that necklace in a safe place, out of danger from the day’s chores, and wore it every night. Sometimes she’d just sit at the mirror and gaze at her mane and that necklace, indulging in an old fantasy that, for just a short time, Rarity had brought to life.
Golden Harvest wasn’t a filly anymore. On the contrary, she was a young mare: nineteen, independent and carrying on the family business. Her mother and father were both gone and she was alone, but even so, she was content with her life. She was a farmer, and was proud to say her carrots were the best in Ponyville. She had the regular clientele to prove it. In the mornings she would wake early and tend to her garden, gathering what ripe carrots she could, and set off for the market at her usual place. Today was no different.
Almost.
She wore the necklace. She almost never did anymore; it was far too precious to risk losing it. But today she would wear it, and hope that things went as predicted. Not that she had high expectations, of course.
It was a slow day. The market, a wide circular area near the center of town, was bustling with ponies just before lunch, but was now more or less empty. It wasn’t just her stall, either. It seemed nopony was going to make a lot of money this day. Not that this concerned Golden; yesterday had been busy, and she’d sold most of her stock. She didn’t know what it was about Wednesdays, but everypony seemed to prefer to do their shopping then.
In summation, it was a pretty typical Thursday.
It was mid-afternoon before she saw the familiar sight of Rarity approaching. She always came on Thursdays to avoid the crowds. Accompanying her was a young Earth-pony stallion, his coat pearly white just like Rarity’s and mane blonde. He was just a little chubby, and grinning like a fool. Nye Stone, owner of a local café. Rich through heritage, not too bright, friend of everypony.
Golden took a moment to glance at herself in a pocket mirror, fretting over her mane and hoping the tiny amount of inexpertly-placed makeup was appropriate. She set it away as soon as the two ponies came close, waving happily to the unicorn. “Hello Rarity. The usual?”
“Good afternoon, Golden,” Rarity answered with a grin. She was just as beautiful as always, almost enviably so. “Two dozen today, yes. And if you can find a way to teach this stallion the meaning of the word ‘cheating’ I’d appreciate it.”
Nye gained a haughty look, his tone imperial. “Hey, I don’t cheat.” Then he added wryly, “I just flirt.”
“And if Rainbow Dash should catch you flirting?” Golden asked playfully as she counted out Rarity’s carrots.
The stallion winced in an exaggerated fashion, dropping low and eyeing the skies as if he might be pounced upon at any second. “I won’t tell if you won’t, Carrot,” he announced with a laugh as he stood back up and leaned against the counter. Golden didn’t mind the nickname anymore, but Rarity did. The unicorn cast a silent glower at him, and Golden knew exactly why.
But Rarity didn’t press the subject, instead moving on to the real topic at hand. “Seriously, Nye, someday Rainbow’s going to get the wrong idea and start bucking. You should be more like your brother.”
Nye took on a distraught look. “Jimmy? Sweet Luna, no! If I was like him, I would be single and boring!”
“But you’d be more rugged,” Golden pointed out as she tied the carrots together into bushels.
“And have more class,” Rarity threw in.
“Smarter.”
“Refined.”
“Hard-working.”
“Dedicated.”
“I get it, I get it!” Nye waved his hooves as if to ward off blows, “My brother’s a better catch. I’ve got my own good traits, you know. Rainbow wouldn’t be dating me otherwise!”
“Oh?” Rarity raised a perfectly-trimmed eyebrow. “Name one.”
“Umm… Hey, nice necklace!” In his hurried attempt to escape a bad situation, he ended up pointing out the one thing Golden most hoped would be seen. She blushed and smiled weakly, hurrying to set Rarity’s carrots onto the counter and biting her lip anxiously.
The unicorn rolled her eyes at Nye’s obvious escape attempt, but glanced at the necklace anyway. When she did her eyes went wide at the familiar site, and she craned her neck over the counter to get a better look, making the amber-maned mare fidget at the sudden attention.
“Oh my stars,” Rarity cried, standing straight again and beaming. “You still have that! I would have thought you’d have thrown it out by now.”
“Never!” Golden was shocked she’d suggest such a thing, raising her forehooves as if to protect it. “It’s an important gift from an important…friend.”
Rarity smiled proudly, patting her mane with a hoof as if to put herself on display. “I’m flattered you think so, darling, really I am. But honestly, Golden, I was a mere amateur when I designed that old thing. You deserve something more fresh, something truly special! Why, you simply must let me design you something new.”
Golden stared at her old foalsitter, unable to believe her ears. “Oh…” She glanced down at the necklace, its amber carrots reflecting the sunlight. She’d spent the past six years protecting that finish. “But I really like this one…”
“Oh my goddess, idea!” Rarity’s face took on that bright, ecstatic expression she only acquired when her fashion sense was shifting into overdrive. She reared onto her hind legs and set her front hooves to the counter so that she could see Golden’s entire body, her excited eyes darting up and down the mare with almost fevered eagerness. “Do you know how rarely I work with the color orange? And that necklace inspires an old fashion concept I had from when I foalsat you way back when! I can set the idea back to the drawing board, make a few modifications…ohohoo!”
She dropped back to the ground and clapped her hooves with giddy excitement. “Why didn’t I think of this before? You absolutely must come by the Carousel Boutique and let me measure you for a dress! It’ll be my treat, and I really mean that.”
Golden didn’t have much need for dresses. She was a farmer, after all, and didn’t go to many special gatherings that warranted the kind of clothing the fashionista usually came up with. It would end up in her closet, untouched and moth-eaten. But those simple facts were shoved into the back of her mind with one simple thought: she was going to spend time with Rarity. “Yeah…yeah! I’ll come, of course I will!”
“Marvelous. Oh, I simply must get back to the boutique and get started on the design!” She turned to trot away, lightheartedly lost in her own plans.
Nye waved frantically at her. “Your carrots. Hey, your carrots!” Too late, she was mentally gone. The stallion sighed with a smile and shrugged to Golden. “Guess I’ll bring them to her later.”
Golden hardly noticed. She was leaning against the counter, cheeks resting on her hooves and grinning like a silly filly. “I can’t believe it worked. I… I could kiss you!”
He took a wary step back, smiling anxiously and glancing at the sky with real fear this time. “Eheh, I’d rather you not. Rainbow knows I like to goof around, but an actual kiss and she might drop a sonic rainboom on my head.”
For a brief moment she allowed her mind to wander on silly fantasies, fantasies she’d nourished in secret for nearly six years. She and Rarity alone together for any amount of time was nothing less than a dream come true! And if she was lucky, perhaps it would open a door to the rest of her silly little hopes.
And none of this would have been possible without Nye. She’d come trudging into his café late one night after a hard day’s toil and, after a half-dozen of his patented Cider Rainbooms, unintentionally gave up her oldest secret. She’d told him everything: her long-harbored crush, how her's and Rarity’s different social status and schedules kept them from ever seeing one another, how she had gained a renewed confidence and self-satisfaction from a mere two weeks of time together.
Nye wasn’t the brightest bulb in the box, but he’d listened, and he’d cared. Her wearing the necklace today was his idea. She’d thought it dumb, but now she was going to have a chance. She really could have just kissed him.
“Umm, I’d like some carrots, too,” he noted, tapping her with a hoof as if to make sure she was okay.
She jerked out of her daze with a blush, knocking the bushels of carrots off the counter in her surprise. “Oh! Uh, right, sure...
“No charge.”
Rarity was at her sewing machine getting an early start on one of her orders when the bell above her front door rang. Removing her glasses and putting on her most charming smile, she went to meet her guest.
Nye announced himself with a wry grin. “Hey there, sweet mare.” He was leaning against her front counter in a lazy fashion and was the very definition of smug.
Rarity rolled her eyes but couldn’t resist smiling at his usual tone. “Do you ever let up?”
He took on a proud, regal expression. “I have a reputation to keep. Have to keep the mares happy, y’know.”
Rarity giggled and poked her hoof into his oversized belly, making him wince and drop down to his feet. “There’s only one mare out there who you should be concerned with,” she countered smartly. “Why aren’t you with her?”
“Eh, Rainbow’s busy beating some new weather team recruits into shape,” he explained, rubbing his stomach and shooting her an annoyed look. It didn’t last; he grinned wickedly and tilted his head at her as if anticipating some dirty secret. “What about you? There’s a mare you should be concerned with, I think.”
The unicorn leaned her head back at his unsavory expression. “What are you talking about? And it better not be something dirty.”
“Carrot Top,” he answered as if his point were obvious. “You, her, a visit for a dress?”
Rarity grinned, imagining the dress that was still in its designing stage. “Oh, it went wonderfully! You should see the design, it’s going to be delightful! I’m still trying to figure out how the skirt will play with the tiara and necklace. Would you like to see what I have in mind?”
She waited for his response, her eagerness overwhelming. She had to show it to somepony! Golden was going to love that dress, she was absolutely certain. And at…her next…
She realized that Nye was staring at her. A frown marred his face and his eyes spoke of annoyance. The expression had her on edge. It wasn’t his usual saucy or eager look; this was something else entirely. Had she missed something? “Nye?”
His head dropped to the countertop with a bang that made Rarity wince. Goddess, didn’t that hurt? After a couple seconds he looked up and rested his chin in a hoof. His eyelids drooped as though he were suddenly very tired. “You mean she didn’t ask?”
The unicorn had no idea what he meant. Golden was supposed to ask her something? Come to think of it, she had been awfully silent yesterday. “Umm…”
The stallion stood up and sighed, his entire body slack with disappointment. “I guess I’m not much of a matchmaker after all.”
Total. Confusion. “Matchmaker?”
“She was supposed to ask you out!” he snapped, finally running out of patience. “I’ve been encouraging the mare on this for a week!”
Rarity felt her cheeks grow hot. Golden, ask her out? Surely he wasn’t serious. Trying to mask her momentary alarm, the unicorn turned her head away with a smug grin and patted her mane. “Nye, you really must get your head out of the gutter. I wouldn’t blame a mare for wanting me, though.”
Nye wasn’t laughing. In fact he seemed gravely serious. His hard stare was enough to make it clear that this was no joke, and it only made her face grow hotter. “Oh dear, you really mean it, don’t you?”
“You didn’t get anything out of her at all?” he asked, sounding not just a little annoyed. “Not even the tiniest hint?”
She bit her lip and tried to recall anything she could from her time with Golden during the measuring. Had there been any hints? The mare had been so quiet, but Rarity had simply put that down to her inexperience. And she’d been so excited at the thought of her new design that she probably wouldn’t have noticed if…if…
“I had no idea,” she confessed with a pout. “I just assumed she was anxious about the dress. How was I supposed to know it was a...” She stopped herself form saying the word ‘crush,’ hiding her distraught face behind her hooves. “I can’t believe it.”
“Neither can I,” he noted. “She came into my place last week and confessed after getting smashed on Cider Rainbooms. I’ve been pep-talking her ever since. I just knew she'd confess if she could have a couple minutes alone with you!”
“Well, she didn’t,” Rarity muttered, still hiding her distressed face, “and now I’m stuck feeling like a fool.”
“Trust me,” her friend noted grimly, “whatever you’re feeling right now, Carrot’s got ten times the weight on her shoulders. I know, because I’ve been there.”
She finally raised her head, peering at him from just over her hooves. He was leaning against the counter again, eyes downcast. He wasn’t the kind of pony she’d have expected to go trying to do something like this. Too dense. Everypony knew his twin Jimmy was the smart one. But, come to think of it, Nye had something Jimmy didn’t: empathy. Not where he himself was concerned, but for others he was quite good.
“I have to do something in apology,” she noted at last, leveling a firm look at him. “Any ideas?”
He blinked, caught off guard by her direct question. “You’re asking me? I always thought of you as the gossip and idea girl.”
The unicorn shook her head. “I didn’t even know she had a crush on me, Nye.” She couldn’t help blushing at the word.
He gave her a thoughtful look, like a scientist studying a rare specimen. “So…are you saying you’re interested in her?”
Once again, she was thrown entirely off guard. If her face kept burning like this, she’d melt! But it was an important question: was she interested? Outwardly, her immediate answer had to be no. She was supposed to be saving herself for a Canterlot Prince, after all! The confidence in that idea was long gone, though. She’d met a prince and the results were the opposite of satisfactory. There were still some rich bachelor stallions out there, true, but…
She didn’t have an answer. No matter how she wrapped her head around the question, she just couldn’t answer it. Aside from her weekly visits to the market, she almost never saw Golden anymore. Sure, she was an attractive mare, and with Rarity’s help she could be stunning. This was an established fact, for she’d tried it before. Did she have qualms about dating mares? She couldn’t be certain, though she had once or twice eyed Applejack’s delightful form, and…
She dropped her face into her hooves, fighting to steer her mind away from naughty thoughts. “I don’t know,” she confessed, looking up at Nye with a lost expression. “I honestly have no idea. But she’s my friend and…and…I guess I should at least give her a chance.”
Nye smiled, apparently satisfied with the answer. “Well alright then. Now we just have to establish what you’re going to do.”
“I wish I knew,” she grumbled. She was still trying to wrap her head around the possibilities and potential results of Golden’s crush. This could be a disaster in the making. On the other hoof, things could go wonderfully. She wasn’t certain which idea she liked more.
The stallion considered the situation, a silly grin coming upon his face. “So I guess if you two get together she’d be the prince to your princess, eh?”
What a stupid statement. Golden Harvest was not a prince by any stretch of the imagination. Rarity still remembered that conversation before her vanity about how Golden had wished to be a…
…a princess.
“I’ve got it!”
Nye was so surprised by Rarity’s outburst and leap of triumph that he actually fell to the floor.
Golden was in Canterlot. Of all places, Canterlot! She didn’t fit in, that was apparent from the start. From the moment the train had reached the platform, she felt insignificant before all the elite ponies in their lush gowns and fine suits. The sheer pearly magnificence of the city itself intimidated her, especially with the castle rising high above the buildings.
A few days back Rarity had left on business to Canterlot. And then, not two days ago, Golden had received a letter asking her to come there, as well. Rarity needed her in order to make some final adjustments to the dress being designed for her. Golden Harvest had never been to Canterlot, and the thought was daunting. But after her abysmal failure a week ago to so much as speak to the unicorn normally, much less about her crush, Golden knew she had to try.
She’d met Rarity at the station, and the mare had happily treated her to a tour. Despite Golden's worries and sense of insignificance, it had been a pleasant day. She was amazed at how easily her crush had integrated herself into Canterlot society; she actually appeared to be well known among the elites, even popular. Golden couldn’t resist a small sense of envy regarding this; when she was little she would have done anything to be where Rarity was right now. It was still a small dream of hers, albeit one she knew to be entirely out of reach.
That night, Rarity brought Golden to Canterlot Castle. The mare thought that it was just part of the tour, until she discovered that in fact Rarity was staying in a suite there. Golden had been absolutely beside herself: Rarity was living in a luxury castle suite! And what was more, she was sharing the room with Golden! She’d never seen such glamor in her entire life, and it was a little overwhelming.
She spent the night trying to make sense of everything. Rarity was treating her so nicely. Because they were friends? Well of course, what else could it be? And to be sleeping in the same room... She kept sitting up to stare at the blissfully unconscious unicorn, the first time she had been able to enjoy such a view in six years. She knew she had to say something before returning home, and she had tried many times that day. But every time she had the opportunity, her heart would freeze and her throat dry up. In the end she buried her head under the pillows and cried herself to sleep.
The next day saw a wave of activity for the two mares. Rarity brought Golden to enjoy a complete spa treatment, a visit to a hair salon, and even a makeup specialist. She felt as if she were being given a makeover…which perhaps she was. Was this something the wealthy fashionista did with all her friends? How nice it must be to fall within her inner circle!
Come late afternoon Golden was amazed by her own reflection. She was like a new mare! She’d not been so pretty since…since her time with Rarity six years ago. The thought brought back happy memories, the kind she wished she could lose herself in. These days she just didn’t have the time to entertain those kinds of silly thoughts. She was only able to come away from the field for so long this time because she’d been stocking up on carrots for something like this, but even now…
What was she thinking? She was in Canterlot, being treated like a princess by the love of her life! Even if Rarity didn’t know she was the love of her life…yet. But what did it matter? She decided she should just enjoy this while she could, because there was no way it would last.
That evening, as the sun began to fall on the horizon, Rarity took Golden down to a small (by Canterlot terms) side room in the castle. It was all set up with the unicorn’s design equipment and tools, indicating that she’d chosen the place for her work while there.
“You’re so devoted to your job,” Golden noted while examining the many things she couldn’t name, but presumed had to do with clothing design. Even while here in the greatest city in Equestria, the fashionista was working.
“One doesn’t get this far without putting forth some effort,” Rarity declared, striking a proud pose. “Anyway, it’s time that we got you into your new dress!”
Golden winced. The dress, which Rarity had been working on for two weeks. The dress that would inevitably be worn once and never see the light of day again. She wasn’t even sure she was comfortable wearing it; who was she to wear something so fine as what Rarity could design? Still, she had resolved to try and enjoy what she could out of this. Who was she to argue against wearing something fancy for once in her life?
Rarity smiled and trotted towards a heavy-looking red curtain, her pretty purple mane bouncing. “Just wait till you see it! It’s a masterpiece, I guarantee you, a complete masterpiece!” She waited until Golden was standing anxiously near the curtain before jerking on the cord with her teeth, revealing the dress.
Golden dropped to her knees at the sight of it. The dress was an elegant, brilliant combination of oranges and golds. Glistening ambers and tiny diamonds shimmered from the long flowing skirt, the bosom, the gigot sleeves. They were especially vibrant on the tall collar, which fanned out almost like the tail of an orange peacock. It came complete with shimmering orange boots and a small but magnificent crown.
This wasn’t a dress. This was a gown, the likes of which one only wears when going to the most prestigious of events, like the Grand Galloping Gala! It was the single most amazing fashion display Golden Harvest had ever laid eyes on, and it was for her.
“Are…are you really sure you want me to wear that?” she asked, shocked into complete stillness.
“But of course, darling, I made it for you!” Rarity touched the side of her head against Golden’s and gestured at the dress proudly. “Isn’t it simply divine? You are going to look gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous! And here,” she turned away and magically lifted a large case from a nearby table, bringing it before Golden with a giddy giggle, “the pièce de résistance! Behold a necklace befitting perfection.”
The case opened, and within sat a shining golden necklace, designed similarly to the one Golden was already wearing. Except it was a necklace of an entirely different level of complexity: the amber carrots were highlighted by leaves of glimmering emeralds, dotted with raindrops made from precious diamonds. The entire cutie mark was outlined by brilliant gold, which only served to heighten the effects of the gemstones. It was a true beauty.
Golden Harvest thought she might collapse. “Y-y…y-you didn’t have to go through all this…”
“Please Golden, it’s designer’s prerogative to go as far as she likes, and once the inspiration hit I was not going to back down.” Rarity lifted the necklace and set it upon Golden’s neck, face beaming with pride at her work. “There, it suits you wonderfully, just as I knew it would! Now you can get rid of that old one and…”
“No!” Golden took a step back, but recovered swiftly. “I mean… I still like the old one. I’ll keep it.”
Rarity’s smile changed at that moment. It wasn’t the beaming, gleeful grin of a fashionista enjoying her work. It was something else, a pleasant smile of quiet appreciation. “Of course, darling,” she said after a tender moment of silence, eyes glowing. “That one looks good on you, too.” Golden gazed at her, briefly rendered dumb by the unicorn’s beautiful expression. This, this had to be the moment, right now!
“Oh, what are we doing?” Rarity suddenly asked, laughing off the moment. Golden tried to open her mouth but was unable to talk as the unicorn pushed her towards the dress. “Go on, try it! I can’t wait to see how amazing you’ll look in it!” And, before Golden could properly think of what to say, the curtain closed between them.
She stared at the dress, on the verge of tears. Another chance come and gone. She felt like kicking herself! That was by far the closest she’d come to actually saying it, and she’d been too slow. What if she didn’t get another chance?
She refused to let this stop her. Rarity wanted to see her in the dress, so she would put it on. Maybe she’d have another opportunity as a result.
She was extra careful with the dress, terrified that she might damage it in some way. Her legs shook as she slipped the sleeves on, each motion made with caution as she struggled to avoid harming a single thread on the delicate gown. It took her several tries to get the front strings in her teeth for her trembling jaw. What should have taken a few minutes had to have required a solid twenty, but at last the dress was on. There was no mirror behind the curtain, what if she looked ridiculous? She was terrified that she’d not look at all proper…
“R… Rarity? I don’t know about this…”
She hesitated at the curtain, listening for a response. She received none. She waited a touch longer, anxiety gripping her. Where was she? Had the unicorn stepped out for a moment? Why wouldn’t she have said anything?
She could take it no longer; she pushed her head through the curtain.
The room was empty. No Rarity, no anypony. She was all alone.
“Rarity?” She stepped out and glanced around, confirming that she was indeed by herself. What could have possibly happened to her? She wandered about for a moment, searching for clues. She moved very slowly, not used to wearing shoes and terrified that she might damage them. She felt so odd, even awkward. What if somepony saw her wearing this? What if…
She froze before a mirror, numb with amazement. The face, rosy and clean and soft; the hair, silky and shimmering in the dim light; the glorious dress that sparkled with gems and accentuated a healthy, toned physique. Was that really her? It couldn’t be, she wasn’t that attractive. But it was… Sweet Celestia, it really was her. She had to fight back the urge to cry; she felt like a princess. The look Rarity had given her when she was a filly had been nothing compared to this. A life she’d once dreamed of, reflected back at her in all its impossible glory.
Without even knowing it, Rarity had granted her something she’d always wished for, even if only in her dreams. Could that unicorn have possibly been more perfect?
The creaking of a door jerked her from her ecstatic stupor. She turned about just in time to see one of the room’s two doors close with a loud thud. They hadn’t entered the room from that one. Who could it have been? Perhaps Rarity? Heart pounding in her chest, Golden carefully walked forward. She hesitated, trying to get her wits about her. If Rarity was in the next room, Golden would not miss the opportunity. This time…. This time she’d do it right. She opened the door and stepped forward.
“Ladies and gentlecolts, our guest of honor: the lovely Golden Harvest!”
Golden froze, eyes wide in shock at the sight before her. She was in a massive ballroom, marbled and elaborate with towering windows and a magnificent alicorn–shaped fountain at the center. Delicate classical music swam through the air to her unaccustomed ears. Bowtied servants roamed about offering platters of tiny delectables. But the single most startling inclusion was the elite, classy ponies dressed in their best gowns and suits, all applauding her arrival.
Golden took a couple horrified steps back, mind numb with confusion and alarm.
“Easy there, princess.” A stallion stepped up beside her, smiling his typical charming grin and dressed in a fashionable suit. It was Nye Stone. “Don’t worry, they don’t bite.”
Golden was hyperventilating. “N-Nye…what…how…why…what…you… Sweet Celestia!”
“Stay with me,” he whispered, patting her shoulder. “Breath, Carrot. That’s right, take it easy, just breath.”
Her breathing began to normalize, but her terror was still very real. Her eyes darted about at all the elite ponies, many of whom were staring in awe at her. “Nye,” she whispered, “what’s going on?!”
“I’m not the one to explain,” he told her. “I just volunteered to help. Come on, you need to meet the host of this fine party.”
“Do I have to?” she asked in horror, not moving at his gentle tug.
“Trust me, it’ll be worth it,” he answered, giving her his most supportive smile. She didn’t know what was going on. Her mind simply couldn’t process it! She allowed herself to be guided forward, trembling at the thought of being on display before so many respectable ponies. She felt like a bug.
“Wh…where’s R-Ra-Rarity?” Her teeth were chattering so much she almost couldn’t speak.
“Ah, here she is!” A big and handsome white unicorn stallion approached, beaming at the sight of Golden Harvest. His soft blue mane and mustache were immaculate, his suit pristine. The mare at his side, a tall and slender unicorn with a pink mane and a coat of such a light pink color as to almost be white, was even more stunning. Golden could only tremble before a beautiful pair who were clearly so very important compared to her. “Golden Harvest! I’ve heard much about you, my dear. I am Fancy Pants, your host for this evening. I hope you find the celebration to your liking.”
Golden was shaking in her delicate little boots. Fancy Pants! Even she knew that name. She had to say something, anything, but she was at a complete loss. All she could do was nod and pray she didn’t look like trash.
“She’s shocked speechless, sir,” Nye noted happily, coming to her rescue. “Sorry, she’s just not used to these kinds of surprises.”
“That’s quite all right, dear boy,” Fancy declared jovially. He turned his attention back to Golden, his tone strangely reminding her of a father comforting his child. “I won’t keep you my dear, I understand how unexpected all of this is. Besides, I think there is a lady who wants to spend some time with you.”
“Indeed there is,” a familiar voice declared from nearby. Golden jerked about to see Rarity approaching, bedazzling in a fine red gown of her own. She winked at the shocked mare with a grin before turning to address their host. “Thank you so much for this, Fancy Pants. It means so much to me!”
“Think nothing of it,” he replied with a dismissive wave of his hoof. “Any friend of yours is a friend of mine, miss Rarity. And might I add that the dress you designed for miss Harvest is absolutely stunning! I doubt it requires my endorsement for everypony in Canterlot to be after one.”
“Thank you, most sincerely,” she said, but then stepped up to Golden and looked her right in the eyes, “but I’m afraid this piece was a one-time only offer. I can’t imagine any other mare wearing it.”
Golden thought her legs might have turned to jelly.
Fancy and his marefriend departed into the crowd a moment later, and Nye soon disappeared as well. Golden and Rarity were alone within the crowd, staring at one another. Golden fought to control her legs as she slowly managed to get a sentence out. “You…you did all of this…?” Rarity nodded. “Why?”
Rarity smiled sweetly, eyes glowing. “You told me once that you wanted to be a princess, and I promised to help you get there. I’m keeping my promise, Golden.”
The mare could take it no more; she started to cry. “Thank you… Oh Rarity, thank you so much…”
Her crush shushed her gently, wiping the tears away with a hoof. “Come now, Golden, your makeup will run. Not that it matters: you are easily the most magnificent princess anypony here has ever laid eyes on.”
Golden moved without thinking, planting a kiss right on the mare’s lips. Rarity jerked back, eyes going wide at the motion, and Golden immediately regretted it. “I… I’m so sorry, that was…” She lowered her head, more tears falling from her eyes as she cursed under her breath in frustration.
But then she felt something soft touch her head. Rarity’s mane blinded Golden with purple as the unicorn gently nuzzled her. “Golden… I already knew.”
Surely she hadn’t just heard that. She raised her head just slightly, gulping back tears. “Y-you… You did…?”
“Mmm-hmm,” Rarity whispered, her smile more beautiful than ever. “Nye told me everything.”
The statement made her giggle stupidly. Nye, why of all the stallions had she trusted Nye? “I… I guess I won’t be telling him any more secrets…” she whispered half-seriously.
“You should be thanking him,” Rarity corrected in a pleasant tone, nudging her gently. “Without him, this night never would have happened. I’m so sorry I didn’t notice it sooner, Golden.”
The momentary princess gazed up at her, a tiny smile coming to her lips as she began to understand. “You… You mean…?”
Rarity nodded, her calm and gentle face full of contentment. “I can’t promise anything, but I want to give this a chance.”
This had to be the happiest moment of Golden’s entire life. She exhaled a long, satisfied, joyful breath and embraced Rarity in a tight hug. She held on for what seemed like ages, not wanting to let go for fear that it might all be a dream. When she opened her moist eyes, she saw Nye standing in the crowd and watching. He grinned in understanding and made a polite bow before disappearing amongst the many elite ponies.
It was a good night, a joyous night. And it would be followed by many more. Golden Harvest would go back to her farm, and Rarity to her boutique. But they took every opportunity to see one another, and those times were always bright. Golden had thought she’d been happy before. She knew better now. She finally had her crush, who was now more than just a crush. She might not have achieved her dream to its perfect image, but what she had was more than close enough: it was better. That one night had been enough to change everything.
She was a weed no longer.
Author's Note
At first I wasn't going to get involved in Random Romance's July contest. For one I won June's contest and for another I knew absolutely nothing about Carrot Top. I did a little research on the character, just to enlighten myself, and went about my business.
A couple days later this popped into my head, and I just had to write it. So yeah, here I go again, entering the contest. Can't say I mind: I do so enjoy competitions.
My last contest attempt, The Gentle Nights, may have won the contest, but I still had a number of things that I didn't care for as I was writing it. This time I decided I wasn't going to worry about word count and just go all out like I normally do. Here's hoping the result is an improvement in plot flow and form.
Like The Gentle Nights, this story is set in but not canon to my No Heroes series. Nye Stone is one of the six main characters of that series, as is his brother Jimmy who gets mentioned a few times here. Nye's cafe "Nye's Nights" is a coffee/hot chocolate shop he opens during the course of Book II. He invented a 'Sonic Rainboom' drink in honor of his at-the-time best friend, Rainbow Dash, but once he caught on to her love of cider he came up with an alcoholic version: 'Cider Rainboom.'
Could I possibly write a story without crossover material from my other stories? Probably, but why would I do that?
